I found it rather enlightening and informational. The first half of the book is written by the author Chef AJ and is about her life story and why she feels eating unprocessed is important. And the second half is recipes.

The gist = No salt, flour, sugar, oil, or anything with a huge list of ingredients! Taking it back to basics and eating from the earth with the exception of nut milks with no sugar or other stuff added, and tofu/tempeh.

She suggests getting started with a 30 day challenge and then taking it from there. I am planning to start this as soon as I can clean out my cabinets and fridge and plan out my meals. Thinking that this may save me a bit in the way of money at the grocery store as well, since I won't be buying any fancy vegan substitutes for meat and snacks!

I've heard of that book but never tried eating that way. I am thinking about greatly improving my diet after the death of a fellow animal shelter volunteer. She died last week after a 2 year battle with colon cancer(stage 4 when diagnosed). She was always full of life before being diagnosed and it's still hard to believe it happened to her. She was only FORTY FIVE when she died. This has me thinking a lot about how short life is and not taking my health for granted.So this book is on my reading list(After Healthy at 100 and Super Immunity)

Anyways,I've heard that the lasagne is very good. Please let us know how you like the recipes. Perhaps you would get more responses on the health board? Karen

I haven't seen her book, but I've seen some of her youtube videos. I eat this way most of the time (I use salt, but only the salt I add to food). It's helped me lose a few extra pounds and maintain my current weight.

One popular idea is that vegans who eat processed foods and added fats are the ones most likely to be unhealthy. Therefore, the thinking goes, we need to discourage the use of these foods in order to protect the health of vegans and the image of veganism. But this is based more on a philosophical idea of how vegans should eat than on any empirical evidence. Vegans are most likely to get sick when they refuse to supplement with vitamin B12 and vitamin D or they skimp on calcium and iron—not from eating veggie burgers and pouring a drizzle of olive oil over their salad.If we base our definition of a healthy vegan diet on extremely restrictive principles and demonize the very foods that help people go (and stay) vegan, it’s hard to imagine that veganism will ever be viewed as mainstream. Vegan diets need to be realistic for kids, college students, people who don’t cook, foodies who like upscale restaurants, and people who eat at fast food restaurants.

Some low-fat vegan diets strive for fat intakes that are as low as 10% of calories. But the World Health Organization says that no one should go below a 15% fat diet and that women of childbearing age should consume diets that are at least 20% fat. They suggest that intakes up to 30 or even 35% of calories can be healthful.

The idea that we need to avoid all dietary fats, including healthful plant ones, is outdated and perhaps even harmful. But even if eating a very low-fat diet is perfectly safe, there is no evidence that it has any advantages over a diet that includes some fat-rich plant foods. Foods like avocado, nuts and nut butters, olives, tofu, dressings and sauces add interest and variety to vegan diets. As always with diets that take veganism a step beyond what is necessary, very low-fat diets add a layer of restriction that can make vegan diets look limiting and unappealing.

Someone asked me recently why it matters whether vegans understand how to interpret different types of research and claims about diet. If vegans want to believe that cow’s milk causes osteoporosis or vegetable oils clog your arteries, or all processed foods are evil and disease-promoting, who cares?

But I think those misconceptions matter. As I’ve written about before, there is plenty to lose when vegans are given inadequate health information. And from an advocacy standpoint, I can’t imagine a good future for a movement based on inflated and unsupported claims, no matter how attractive they sound.

_________________A whole lot of access and privilege goes into being sanctimonious pricks J-DubDessert is currently a big bowl of sanctimonious, passive aggressive vegan enduced boak. FezzaYou people are way less funny than Pandacookie. Sucks to be you.-interrobang?!

you tell it Ginny.I think including a certain amount of fortified processed food can be good for many vegans. I think fortified soymilk/almondmilk is probably one of the best things ever and for many vegans is one of the few sources of B12 in their diet.

I HATE the term "processed food." It's an overly vague scare term that carries no real meaning. Juice, smoothies, homemade soup, spelt flour... those are all processed in some way.

I'm all for eating less junk. but I hate the scaremongering and guilting that goes with books like this.

_________________If you spit on my food I will blow your forking head off, you filthy shitdog. - MumblesDon't you know that vegan meat is the gateway drug to chicken addiction? Because GMO and trans-fats. - kaerlighed

Some low-fat vegan diets strive for fat intakes that are as low as 10% of calories. But the World Health Organization says that no one should go below a 15% fat diet and that women of childbearing age should consume diets that are at least 20% fat. They suggest that intakes up to 30 or even 35% of calories can be healthful.

The idea that we need to avoid all dietary fats, including healthful plant ones, is outdated and perhaps even harmful. But even if eating a very low-fat diet is perfectly safe, there is no evidence that it has any advantages over a diet that includes some fat-rich plant foods. Foods like avocado, nuts and nut butters, olives, tofu, dressings and sauces add interest and variety to vegan diets. As always with diets that take veganism a step beyond what is necessary, very low-fat diets add a layer of restriction that can make vegan diets look limiting and unappealing.

Just to clarify, looking at the book on Amazon,she does recomend fat from nuts and nut butters,seeds,avacado's,etc. And the recipes include ones with these ingredients plus tofu,tempeh,tahini and coconut.

I didnt put this in the health section cause I am more interested in the process of cooking without oil, salt, and sugar. And hearing from people who already do it. Im sorry, I didnt mean for a debate about the book to happen. And I also read the above mentioned blogs and respect them as well.

She is not a medical pro just a chef. So I wouldnt suggest anyone taking her suggestion of diet as their lifestyle change unless checked with a doctor first. And I also wouldnt judge her or the book unless you have read it. She isnt far off from what the forks over knives and engine 2 people deem appropriate. They all say not to use oil. She also gives lots of references to docs and other books, and makes fair claim that she just wants to share her story and what has helped her gain control over her food issues. There is more to it for her and someone like me than just cutting "processed" foods from our diets.

I just wanted people to be clear that there is precious little valid evidence for the no fat diet. Also, tofu, tahini and tempeh are processed foods.

If she's not a doctor, why is she advocating such an extreme diet?

_________________A whole lot of access and privilege goes into being sanctimonious pricks J-DubDessert is currently a big bowl of sanctimonious, passive aggressive vegan enduced boak. FezzaYou people are way less funny than Pandacookie. Sucks to be you.-interrobang?!

While I agree with Vantine, Ginny, and everyone, I don't think you deserve this kind of flack GraciaKai. It seems to me that the main problem is with the inaccuracy and implications that come from the title of her book and not that you're considering eating more whole foods.

_________________Like the beleaguered people of sub-Saharan Africa, I'll just go to Denny's. Solidarity!-mumbles

Im def not advocating a fat free diet or thinking that anyone should. And I am very much for people taking their dietary lifestyle into their own hands and doing what is right for them. I just figured she is a vegan chef with a new book, maybe people here would be interested or have some tips that could help.

Vantine, from what I gather she had a long rough road with her health and diet and she feels passionate about helping others and feels that eating this way is the best thing she has ever done for herself. But she isnt pushing fat free, she suggest fats from avocados, nuts, seeds, and coconuts in their whole forms.

Thanks everyone, again Im sorry that this became a health discussion vs a cooking discussion. That really wasnt my intention.

GraciaKai, I think we might have talked about this before but Eat To Live has a strong emphasis on greens, veggies, fruits and beans and limited whole grains, no refined grains, and daily amounts of flax, nuts and seeds. There's a thread here.

It's not just a cookbook, though. There are questionable health claims made by the book: lower your cholesterol, prevent or reverse many common lifestyle diseases, lose weight... Vegan diets are not magic.

She claims that for the calories in one tablespoon of olive oil (120 +/-) you could eat "almost" an entire avocado (240 +/-). That's wrong. (p 36). If she's a chef she should have found a RD to work out the health and nutrition claims for her.

This isn't personal even if Graciakai is secretly Chef AJ. Sketchy health claims do not help veganism.

_________________A whole lot of access and privilege goes into being sanctimonious pricks J-DubDessert is currently a big bowl of sanctimonious, passive aggressive vegan enduced boak. FezzaYou people are way less funny than Pandacookie. Sucks to be you.-interrobang?!

It's not just a cookbook, though. There are questionable health claims made by the book: lower your cholesterol, prevent or reverse many common lifestyle diseases, lose weight... Vegan diets are not magic.

She claims that for the calories in one tablespoon of olive oil (120 +/-) you could eat "almost" an entire avocado (240 +/-). That's wrong. (p 36). If she's a chef she should have found a RD to work out the health and nutrition claims for her.

This isn't personal even if Graciakai is secretly Chef AJ. Sketchy health claims do not help veganism.

Yeah, I agree with what is being said here. Also, this is a direct quote from her website (bolding mine):

"Hopefully by now you have read one of the great books by Dr. Esselstyn, Dr. Fuhrman or Dr. McDougall. and you already now that ALL OIL is really, really bad for your health and that it promotes obesity, diabetes and heart diasease. But maybe you still have not leared how to cook without it. In this saucy episode of "The Chef and The Dietitian" we'll show you how easy it is to give up this addictive, fiberless non-nutritive liquid that is 4,000 calories per pound, the most fattening food on the planet!"

Yes, it may well be 4,000 calories per pound, but who the hell eats a pound of oil? And also, if oil is really bad for you, why are nuts (which contain oil) ok?

I do think it's fine to look at your diet and decide to cut down on things but I would be wary of cutting out whole groups of foods without solid information.

Mat.

_________________Lady Gaga and Beyonce should run her over with the kitten Wagon for that one comment alone - Torque (speaking of Katy Perry)

There are questionable health claims made by the book: lower your cholesterol, prevent or reverse many common lifestyle diseases, lose weight... Vegan diets are not magic.

Moving from the SAD to one based on fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, etc (i.e. one with no dietary cholesterol, much less saturated fat, and a great deal more fiber) IS likely to help those things. There's nothing magic about it.

That said, she says a number of things I can't or won't buy into, but that's not the point here. Gracia, I've had her book on my wish list for awhile but haven't gotten it. I'm not one who's interested in eating that way full time, but I do like it, and the recipes look good. Let me know what you think!

It's not just a cookbook, though. There are questionable health claims made by the book: lower your cholesterol, prevent or reverse many common lifestyle diseases, lose weight... Vegan diets are not magic.

She claims that for the calories in one tablespoon of olive oil (120 +/-) you could eat "almost" an entire avocado (240 +/-). That's wrong. (p 36). If she's a chef she should have found a RD to work out the health and nutrition claims for her.

Yes, if you make health claims, they'd better be backed up. Not being a healthcare professional isn't a get out of jail free card. This sort of false assertion is just going to make people feel unnecessarily worried about cooking with oil. A teaspoon of oil in four servings of food (doable if you're aiming for it) would give you a measly 10 added calories per serving.

Is every goddamn thing in the forking universe "addictive?" Addictive has become the new Hitler. If we think it's bad, we call it "addictive."

Sorry, I don't know what happened there.

_________________A whole lot of access and privilege goes into being sanctimonious pricks J-DubDessert is currently a big bowl of sanctimonious, passive aggressive vegan enduced boak. FezzaYou people are way less funny than Pandacookie. Sucks to be you.-interrobang?!

Is every goddamn thing in the forking universe "addictive?" Addictive has become the new Hitler. If we think it's bad, we call it "addictive."

Sorry, I don't know what happened there.

_________________"The Tree is His Penis"

The tree is his penis // it's very exciting // when held up to his mouth // the lights are all lighting // his eyes start a-bulging // in unbridled glee // the tree is his penis // its beauty, effulgent -amandabear

Is every goddamn thing in the forking universe "addictive?" Addictive has become the new Hitler. If we think it's bad, we call it "addictive."

Sorry, I don't know what happened there.

That's awesome. <3

_________________A whole lot of access and privilege goes into being sanctimonious pricks J-DubDessert is currently a big bowl of sanctimonious, passive aggressive vegan enduced boak. FezzaYou people are way less funny than Pandacookie. Sucks to be you.-interrobang?!

Thank you for discussing my book on this forum. I am happy that you liked it and that it is assisting you towards your journey towards optimum health. To the others who are criticizing my book and it's title without first reading it, I say this:

True, I am not a doctor. But I have had the privilege of working for, cheffing for and speaking with the greatest doctors in the plant based movement from who I have learned so much from including Dr. Campbelll. Barnard, McDougall, Fuhrman and Esselstyn. I was also one of the chefs and instructors in the very first Engine 2 Immersion Program with Rip Esseltyn and have taught at seminars for Dr. Popper and Dr. McDougall and the CHIP programs and summit. I have also worked as the chef and an educator for Dr. Goldhamer at True North Health where people follow an SOS free whole food plant based diet to reverse a variety of diseases. I have a certificate in plant based nutrition from Cornell and do work with a dietitian, Julieanna Hever MSRD, the author of several books. We do a weekly You Tube show together and the episodes are available at http://www.EatUnprocessed.com. I have been vegan for 36 years and a health educator for 12. As far as the title is concerned, perhaps "unrefined" may have been a more accurate one but it didn't sound as good. I followed a processed vegan diet for 26 years and still developed colon cancer. It was until I stopped eating processed vegan food, including sugar and oil, that I was able to finally slim down, regain my health and reverse my disease. I think processed vegan food is fine as a treat or as a transition food. The problem is that I have known people who have been vegan for over 20 years that still haven't transitioned. We are designed to set our food WHOLE. All of the scientific research says that sugar, fat and salt are addictive whether it is in animal products or in organic vegan processed food. That is why people get so angry when you suggest they give it up. No one gets upset if you suggest they abstain from okra to achieve optimal health, but if you tell them to give up processed sugars and oils you are dubbed a radical. As far as my "sketchy medical" claims, I have run a program with John Pierre (nutritional and fitness consultant to Ellen) for the past 4 years which is the subject of our new book that we will debut at Summerfest this year. We have data from hundreds of participants who got off of their medications for heart disease, diabetes and autoimmune diseases by following our "extreme" recommendation of a WHOLE FOOD plant based diet free of processed food, sugar, oil and salt. This is the diet that is consistent with our species natural history. We were never designed to eat processed food. And most Americans consume 70% of their calories from it. Even if you don't think you will like eating this way I would encourage you to try some of my recipes. I was the Executive Vegan Pastry Chef at Sante Restaurant for 4 years and my desserts are still being purchased by a large celebrity clientele today even though they contain no sugar, oil or salt. My disappearing lasagna was voted "Best Vegan Lasagna" on several blogs. You can get almost all of my recipes free on my website. I also have recipes in the Forks Over Knives book and The Compete Idiot's Guide to Plant Based Nutrition.